With all the cold, snowy weather we've seen in the region lately, I always feel that nothing helps balance the wintry ambiance better than a hot, slow-cooked, one-pot dinner a few times a week. It certainly makes preparation a cinch for me and saves a ton of time, but it truly warms up the body and mind to eat a hearty meal like this after a cold, gray day.
On Monday afternoons/evenings I teach at a religious school so I especially need to have dinner ready for my family before I walk out the door. The following easy meal was prepared by 10am and cooked slowly in the crockpot at the lowest setting until my husband and children ate around 6pm.
TO MAKE THIS simple and healthy meal, layer the following list of ingredients into the crockpot in this order:
1) 1 whole cut-up chicken (skin or no skin depending on each family's preference)
2) 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced into rings
3) 1 12oz. can of beer
4) 1 packet of Italian salad dressing/seasoning mix (use 2 packets for more punch)
5) 1 bag of baby carrots
6) 1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut up
7) 2 white potatoes, peeled, cut up
8) Drizzle of olive oil over vegetables
9) Salt and pepper
Please watch for bones when you dish out the chicken since it becomes so tender that it falls off the bone.
We try to watch our carb intake in my home (...thanx to my husband...), but this recipe would be even more filling with a side of warm, crusty, flavorful bread.
